PRETTY WOMAN PLAYING TENNIS (VINTAGE FRENCH REAL PHOTO POSTCARD)

This vintage postcard features a pretty woman playing tennis. She is at the net preparing to hit the ball. It appears that the photographer wasn’t too concerned about his model’s grip on the tennis racquet. Apparently, some tennis lessons before the photo session would have been helpful. However, this is a very sweet postcard and the woman is wearing tennis fashion of the era as well as a wonderful smile. The postcard is of French origin and was published by A. Bergeret of Nancy, France. The postcard is in good condition with some foxing (see scan) and the postcard is unused. The reverse of the postcard indicates that it once resided in an album. (SOLD)

GILDA DARTHY : SCANDALOUS FRENCH ACTRESS : RISQUE

This vintage real photo postcard features French actress, Gilda Darthy (1878-1952). She was an actress on the Paris stage. She was known for being fashionable and was the subject of many photo postcards and photographs. Her stage costumes were created by some of the most famous costumers of their time. She had striking red hair. She was a passenger on a 1910 flight from Algiers to Timbukto and her flying on the plane was used to publicize the New French air service making the flight. During World War I, Darthy was one of the French actresses employed to portray “La Patrie”, a symbol of France. She made her American debut in “The Ironmaster”. The New York Times (1916) reported on her performance and the review was very favorable.  The reviewer described Darthy as being among the most gifted and skillful actresses of the french theater. The wrtier added that “she has all the natural grace and technical skill” of the schooled actresses of the french theater. The reviewer also commented about Darthy’s appearance by stating she had “a moderate amount of gallic beauty”  besides her talent. Finally, the theatrical writer reported that Darthy had an extraordiary amout of emotional powers and a lovely voice. Darthy also appeared in the New York productions of Sapho (1917) and “La Rafale” (1917). In addition to being famous for her acting and fashion roles, Darthy was also a headliner in the area of noted scandals. The New York Times (1917) reported that actress, Irene Bordoni filed suit in the New York Supreme Court against her husband, actor Edgard Beekman, on the grounds of alleged misconduct with Darthy. Darthy was also sued for damages for alienating Boroni’s husband’s affections. Beekman was Darthy’s leading man in a theatrical production at the time of the affair. A similar situation occured with actress Cora Laparcerie and her husband Jacques Richepin. That particular conflict escalated to the point of physical violence between the two women. In 1929, Darthy won damages in a court case, after being injured in an automobile accident. The injuries caused her to have to cut her “trademark” long hair and damages were justifiable because she refused to “deceive the public by wearing a wig”. This vintage postcard portrait of Gilda Darthy was taken by Paul Boyer, the esteemed celebrity photographer. Boyer’s studio was located in Paris, France.  (SOLD)

VERSANI : ADVERTISING POSTCARD WITH BEAUTIFUL AFRICAN AMERICAN MODEL

This advertising postcard was published for Versani Jewelry. The pretty African American model is wearing jewelry from the company and little else. The jewelry is pretty and unique. It is made in New York. The company’s advertising slogan is “Stay Cool Be Strong”. Stores in New York City and Miami are cited as retail locations. Ara is the founder and jewelry designer. The company was established in 1992 as a contemporary jewelry firm. (SOLD)

Published in: on July 25, 2022 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PRETTY TEENAGE GIRL : FASHION : DEYOUNGS’ STUDIO : NEW YORK CITY : CABINET CARD

A pretty teenage girl poses for her portrait at the DeYoungs’ Studio on Broadway in New York City. She is fashionably dressed. She is wearing her hair up and it is nicely styled. Note the ribbon in her hair and the necklace arouhd her neck.The charm on her necklace appears to be heart shaped. An inscription on the reverse of the photo identifies the girl as “Agnes Adams”. The photographer, Joseph DeYoung (1843-1919), was both well known and highly respected. He had operated his studio from a number of addresses in New York City. He left the 815 Broadway address, where this photograph was taken in about 1890. He was at that location from at least 1884. In 1907 DeYoung’s studio was involved in the apprehension of a noted thief. The studio had a display case outside the store so pedestrians could see samples of their work. The thief was caught jimmying open the case and removing two sports photographs. The police were very interested in the home address given to them by their new arrestee. They were surprised that he lived in a mansion but it made sense when they learned he was a millionaire’s butler. He had worked in that same capacity for other millionaires living in the city. When the police searched his room, they found a cache of personal items belonging to his current and former employers. Years later, a deceased DeYoung made the news because of his bizarre estate planning. When he died, he left five dollars to his wife, five dollars to his son, and one half of his business to his business partner, Matilda Wallace. (SOLD)

Published in: on July 24, 2022 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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THREE EDWARDIAN WOMEN : READING : SEWING : ARTISTIC POSE : RPPC (1913)

This vintage real photo postcard features a view of domestic and family life in the 1913 United States. I hypothesize that the women in this photograph are a mother and her two daughters. The mom and one of her daughters is sewing, while the second daughter is reading a book. Note the antique bench that the reading daughter is sitting on. This vintage postcard’s CYKO stamp box is consistent with the 1913 notation written on the card. The original owner of this postcard identified two women in the portrait, but not herself. The id’d women are Dagmar Miller and Marie Petersen. The location is noted as Askov, Minnesota. The town is located on the middle of the eastern border of the state. Askov was settled primarily by Danish immigrants. Interestingly, the name “Dagmar” is of Scandanavian origin. The 2010 census identified 364 residents of Askov. SOLD

A YOUNG GIRL GOES SLEDDING IN TORONTO, CANADA (IMAGE CAPTURED BY NIAGARA FALLS TIGHT ROPE PERFORMER)

A young girl, buttoned up in her fur trimmed winter jacket, poses with her sled in front of a painted winter scene. She is wearing a cute cap with a tassel and is pulling her sled by a rope. The photographer of this image is S. J. Dixon. Dixon’s Electric Light Photo Gallery  was located in Toronto, Canada. The studio was established in 1872. Dixon was very involved in the Photographic Association of Canada, holding a number of offices on the executive committee. He became the organization’s President in 1889. Dixon was a noted athlete and acrobat. The Photographic Times (1891) reported that he walked a three quarter-inch wire stretched across the Whirlpool Rapids at Niagara. “The cable was from 300 to 400 feet above the torrent, and stretched about 400 feet in length”. He completed the “perilous journey” in about 17 minutes. During his tight rope walk, he performed various antics, including lying at full length across the wire. Not surprisingly, Mr. Dixon insured that his feat would be recorded for posterity. J. C. Hemment, a well known instantaneous photographer, photographed Dixon during his mid-air walk. (SOLD)

THREE WOMEN ON A THOR 7 MOTORCYCLE : ONLY TWO OF THESE BIKES REMAIN :VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH : (1912)

This antique photograph features three young women sitting on a Thor VII motorcycle. A man is observing them and an antique car is in the background. Thor was an American manufacturer of motorcycles and motorcycle engines. The company was founded in 1901 and was located in Aurora, Illinois. Between 1901 and 1907, Thor made engines for Indian Motocycles and also made their own motorcycles. They ceased making motorcycles around 1920. There are only two surviving Thor VII bikes in the entire world. This photo measures 2.5 x 4.12 inches. It is a former resident of a photo album evidenced by the paper residue on the reverse of the photo. (SOLD)

Published in: on July 17, 2022 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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SAILOR BOY WEARING DRESS WHITES IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

 

A young boy wearing a white dress naval  uniform poses for a photographer in Brooklyn, New York. The photograph was produced by the Huttenlocher Studio. Note the lads interesting cap. One wonders whether the cap is part of a regulation uniform of a particular nation’s navy. The cap has an insignia on its brim. The meaning of the insignia is unknown. The photographer, Frederick Huttenlocher was mentioned in an article in the Telephone Review (1915) published by the New York Telephone Company. Mr Huttenlocher was presented as kind and as heroic.  A company called the Patchogue Commercial Office, located in Brooklyn, New York, had a fire, causing the office to shut down. The company was across the street from Huttenlocher’s studio and due to Huttenlocher’s kindness, the Patchogue Commercial Office was able to open a temporary headquarters inside of the studio within thirty minutes after experiencing the fire.  (SOLD)

Published in: on July 16, 2022 at 12:01 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF A BEFUDDLED GRANDFATHER AND YOUNG GRANDCHILD IN JAMESTOWN

This photograph is likely a portrait of a grandfather and grandchild. “Generation Skipping” family photographs  were not at all unusual during the era of cabinet card photography. The white haired and bearded grandfather seems to have forgotten to attend to his grooming before sitting for this image. The old man and his grandchild both appear to be quite befuddled by their session with the photographer. This image was produced by the Stanton studio in Jamestown. There are a number of towns named Jamestown in the United States. It has been impossible, so far, to identify the state in which Stanton’s studio was located. This cabinet card portrait is in very good condition (see scans).

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Published in: on July 14, 2022 at 12:00 pm  Comments (2)  
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LA SYLPHE : ACTRESS & EXOTIC DANCER : EDITH LANGERFELD : RISQUE RPPC

This vintage real photo postcard features American actress exotic dancer, La Sylphe. Her off stage name was Edith Lambelle Langerfeld (1883-1968). She attracted a great deal of attention in the 1890’s while performing at the Folies Bergere. She was born in New York City. Her father was German and her mother was Irish.Her father invented a machine used in the mining of coal. Edith was a dancer, but US laws prevented her from performing on stage due to her young age. The laws were more liberal abroad so when Edith turned six, she was taken abroad by her mother. She travelled around the world for eight years, spending the majority of her time performing in Europe. She became fluent in five language. During her second world tour, she was the primary dancer at the Alhambra Theatre in London. Next, she performed at the aforementioned Folies Bergere. Her debut in the US occurred when she was fourteen. In 1899, she introduced her rendition of “The Vision of Salome” dance. When “Salome” was banned by the Metropolitan Opera in 1907, La Sylphe’s popularity in the US soared. She named her performances “The Remorse of Salome”. She adopted the Far East body dance, otherwise known as “the houchee kouchee”. She began performing in vaudeville. She did toe dances, spanish castanet dances, muscle dances (belly dances),  and of course, the Salome dance. She also performed what she called the Devil dance. Some of her performances were risque. In one skit, her mid waist was covered by only pearls. In other performances she wore tights, picket fence skirts and a gossamer (light and thin) bodice. Her performances in New York shocked the public but the shows were tame compared to her routines in Europe. Some of her New York shows were attended by plainsclothes police officers to ensure that she did not cross over the morality boundary.. In 1919 and 1920, La Sylphe was in the cast of “George White’s Scandals”. Her performances included an Acrobatic act, as well as a Contortionist act. After 1928, she began performing in ballets. In one interview, La Sylphe expresses an interesting opinion about matrimony. In an article from “The Evening World” (1908), she states that being an old maid is a good idea. She asserts that she is going to be one. “Marriage is fine for men, but it’s rotten luck for a woman, This vintage real photo postcard was published by Philco as part of a series (No.3103A). The photo was taken by noted celebrity female photographer, Lallie Charles. (SOLD).